This marks the first time a senior US official has said that the new policy would also cover Pakistan as previous statements defined it only as the Afghan policy. “And so what we’ll have at the end of the next few weeks here is an opportunity for a much more effective strategy for the problem set in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the region broadly,” Gen McMaster told a White House news briefing this weekend.

The adviser said the administration was considering a proposal to send thousands of additional troops to Afghan­istan and President Donald Trump would decide when to do so after he returns from his foreign trips later this month.

Gen John Nicholson, commander of US forces in Afgha­nistan, requested a “few thousand” more US troops during congressional hear­ings earlier this year. Currently, there are about 8,400 US troops in Afghanistan, along with about 4,500 from Nato and other allied nations. President Trump has delegated the authority to set troop levels in Iraq and Syria to his Defence Secre­tary James Mattis, but decisions on Afghanistan would be from the White House. Gen McMaster chairs a team of senior security advisers who are preparing the US policy for the Pak-Afghan region, which he says would also apply to the broader South Asian region.

Trump to discuss his anti-terrorism policies with Muslim leaders in Saudi Arabia

Last week, Gen McMaster submitted some proposals to the president, including suggestions for sending 5,000 additional troops to Afghanistan while Ameri­ca’s Nato allies would also be asked to send more troops.

The US needs more time to “figure out with our allies options we can bring to the table” in Afghanistan, and “what more can we ask our allies to do,” said Gen McMaster while explaining how this process would work.

President Trump is expected to discuss his anti-terrorism policies with Arab and Muslim leaders in Saudi Arabia next where he is scheduled to attend a summit of about 20 nations from across the Muslim world. The US media reported on Saturday that Mr Trump was also finalising a $100 billion arms deal for Saudi Arabia, which might be announced during the visit.

Mr Trump will also visit Israel and attend a Nato summit in Rome where he may brief his allies on his new Afghan policy and ask them for more troops.

Gen McMaster said that Mr Trump during his trip to Saudi Arabia would also discuss “bold new steps to promote peace and to confront those from ISIS to Al Qaeda to Iran to the Assad regime [in Syria] who perpetuate chaos and violence” in the region.

The president “expects our Muslim allies to take a strong stand against radical Islamist ideology,” he added

Asked what would the president discuss in Riyadh and Brussels, Gen McMaster said he would stress the need for “all of us have to be committed to achieving our fundamental objectives in Afghanistan,” which is never to allow extremists to use that country once again for launching terrorist attacks.

On DawnNews

Comments (63) Closed

Imran

May 15, 2017 07:59am

Here we go again.

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HIND

May 15, 2017 08:12am

Now don't hope china would come to rescue

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jamshed

May 15, 2017 08:27am

I wished HR McMaster or his predecessors had a magic wand but things don't look great or hopeful for US or Afghanistan. This unilateral policy without consulting Pakistan of sending more troops will back fire, the stalemate will continue and threats, bellicose statement will not make an iota of a difference towards achieving lasting peace and" honorable" US exit.
Pakistan policy towards Afghanistan will be "to lie low and bide time"and wait for Afghanistan to realize that cooperation and friendship is only way to boot US troops out of Afghanistan.

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ABDUL

May 15, 2017 08:34am

YOU APPLY POLICIES UPON YOU

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Mukhbir

May 15, 2017 08:43am

We are heading for real bad times under new US administration.

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A

May 15, 2017 08:54am

A strong Civilian Government in Pakistan is what all will welcome ! Good Luck Sir !!

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ALIEN1

May 15, 2017 08:58am

Do more pakistan, do more, this will be the policy of USA. As for as china is concerned then they would be happy to see the terror factories in pakistan being shutdown.

By combining Pakistan and Afghanistan into one policy package, recognition has dawned that the happenings in any one of those countries does have an positive or negative effect on the other. Very practical.

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Syed Qasim

May 15, 2017 09:25am

No Worries, we will also apply our own new policy on U.S. They don't know about us.

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Najum

May 15, 2017 09:27am

Trump does not like McMaster. The guy might end up losing his job soon anyways.

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Umair

May 15, 2017 09:34am

@HIND Pakistan can handle as handled soviet union. We don't need chines help for this.

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Pk

May 15, 2017 09:34am

@jamshed hahaha ..do you really​ believe ,USA will consult pakistan before their every decision... It's not worth it lol..you are too funny

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Ravi

May 15, 2017 09:37am

Same old same old ! While US doesn't realise that it's irrelevant in New multi polar world

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Saudagar

May 15, 2017 09:38am

Pakistan and Afghanistan at the same level, this is unfair..I guess about which country I am talking about.

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IMTIAZ ALI KHAN

May 15, 2017 09:47am

This is really sad how US comes and tells Afghanistan, Pakistan and India things about our internal affair and how to and how to not to do things. Sorry We Brothers will solve everything our self. Stay out you don't belong here if you bring division among us family otherwise you are welcome as we love the spirit of the good people of American the one's who are open heart humanity loving. We Pakistanis know Afghanistan very well, Afghanistan is our neighbor and millions of Afghan brothers live with us in every province of Pakistan for decades. And India is our bigger brother, we know Indians very well perhaps better than one on this planet earth because there is a simple reason behind that we are the same people no one can breaks us apart no one!

IndoPak Blood Brothers 4 Life!

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MG

May 15, 2017 09:51am

This is an insult to Afghanistan

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Muhammad khan

May 15, 2017 09:51am

Trump is puppet being used by US think tank. People expected change in US policies but yet again face changed policies didn't.

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Vimal

May 15, 2017 10:03am

@Syed Qasim BOTH US AND CANADA

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Momtaz Ahmad Ghulam Rasool

May 15, 2017 10:10am

The only way to attain a sustainable peace in Afghanistan is for the Satanic Americans to get out and stop interfering in Afghans affairs

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MS

May 15, 2017 10:17am

Afghanistan is graveyard of empires!

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NKAli

May 15, 2017 10:24am

America is frustrated and desperate to do something remarkable. It is being bled by Taliban and they will continue in this manner. All the latest weapons used are making more enemies and not defeating the enemy. What was the necessity of creating ISIS? Why must Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia and Yemen face the military might of US? What has it gained??? Salams

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Pk

May 15, 2017 10:32am

No Worries, we will also apply our own new policy on U.S. They don't know about us.

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saudagar

May 15, 2017 10:34am

need to move from kashmir and concentrate on self !

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Thought

May 15, 2017 10:53am

Well, nothing going to be happened, we have faced the same pressure many times. Even american are rejecting trump policies so why do muslims follow him, until there is nothing for them.

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Careless whisper

May 15, 2017 10:57am

New policy ??? Nothing gonna happen mark my words...

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mandy

May 15, 2017 10:59am

True face of Pakistan!!!

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Saf zulfiqar

May 15, 2017 11:00am

Irrespective of US policies, Pakistan should take immediate actions against Aghan militants who creates unrest on its soil.

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Thought

May 15, 2017 11:01am

@saudagar and you better concentrate on your internal matters.

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Saf zulfiqar

May 15, 2017 11:03am

@HIND, Pakistan can handle every situation on its own.

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Saf zulfiqar

May 15, 2017 11:05am

Afghan solution : Close all the Indian consulates from every Afgha city.

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INDRANI

May 15, 2017 11:06am

@Mukhbir " We are heading for real bad times under new US administration."

No Sir ............every country having interest is slowly acting with their respective plan to ensure that there is strong Civilian Government in Pakistan....it is in their interest ! If successful ...then it will be very good time for democratic set up adopted by Pakistan. So pray !!

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Vallabh Patel

May 15, 2017 11:06am

American policy which would apply to both Pakistan and Afgha­nistan ??

Aren't these countries are free ?

Who is USA to decide ?

Have Pakistan surrendered in front of USA ? What happens to China ?

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Shakil

May 15, 2017 12:42pm

Mr. Trump started out by declaring that he would chalk out his own policies and put American people first and get rid of the pressures from the establishment. But now he seems to have been tamed by the latter, which has always acted as the agent of the military-industrial complex. The 100 billion Saudi arms deal is a windfall for the ME Complex. Similarly bracketing Pakistan with Afghanistan would exacerbate terror in the region, requiring more troops and sale of arms. Pakistan and Afghanistan do not need military ware, we need schools and education which basically will temper the region resulting in ouster of all kinds of extremism and terrorism.

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Ahmed, M

May 15, 2017 01:17pm

Keep your policies to yourself

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Kalia. sangwari raipur.

May 15, 2017 01:33pm

US wud not let pakistan to go with china without paying the price of all these years...

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Someone

May 15, 2017 02:07pm

Combining with Afghanistan? This is an insult to policymaking.

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Kadakbullah

May 15, 2017 02:09pm

@Saf zulfiqar ... Will Pakistan follow???

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YOURSTRULY

May 15, 2017 02:41pm

Once CPEC is complete, Pakistan shall frame the policy for US

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asim

May 15, 2017 02:44pm

USA is not learning. Look at history no country could ever rule Afghanistan. Those countries were either equally powerful or better than USA in their era. What USA is trying to Establish is not possible at least in Afghanistan. As one of my friend in dawn comments section wrote, Afghanistan is graveyard of Empires.

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SYED H

May 15, 2017 02:51pm

The final line of the article summing up the US position: “all of us have to be committed to achieving our fundamental objectives in Afghanistan, which is never to allow extremists to use that country once again for launching terrorist attacks."

Typical US doublespeak. The US says it wants Afghanistan to stop being used to launch terrorist attacks; yet under its influence Afghanistan has become the primary source for terrorism in Pakistan!

The fundamental objective of the US has always been to pursue its interests. Disrupting CPEC by allowing Afghanistan to be used by India fits into broader US objectives: to limit Chinese influence. Afghanistan has also proven most useful for the US to exert its influence on the broader Central Asian region, and on Iran; at least one head of Jundullah, the Baloch terrorist group allied to Al-Qaeda, was photographed regularly meeting senior American military and intelligence officials in Afghanistan, before the Iranians caught and executed him.

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Ayub

May 15, 2017 02:54pm

What do Americans want from Pakistan? The winding up of the nuclear program.

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

May 15, 2017 03:16pm

What a silly joke?

Donald Trump and his cronies have no right to dictate their policies on any country in the world including the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan as well as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The sooner they realize it, the better.

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raja farhat Abbas

May 15, 2017 03:18pm

@HIND ...Your silly comment shows you are a silly little Troll!!

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raja farhat Abbas

May 15, 2017 03:24pm

@mandy ...So much hate from just a few words and remember hate begets hate,right back at your face!!!

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Sohaila

May 15, 2017 03:30pm

@Ravi As far as there are countries to buy billions of dollars of arms, why would Americans think that they have become irrelevant. Keep on stoking wars, and keep on selling weapons.

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A

May 15, 2017 03:38pm

@Raja Farhat Abbas

Agree Sir ....this type of hate and confusion is more on account insufficient reading and excessive urge of commenting on every possible subject.... result of social media !! We should discusss more to exchange knowledge on the available platform.

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Muhammad zahid

May 15, 2017 03:51pm

US is not abandoning "do more" policy.

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Imran

May 15, 2017 04:17pm

First of all there is fail government in USA they can not handle his own peoples. How can match paksitan with afganistan no way. Pakistan can handle terrorist better then USA and learn from Pak Army how to fight against terror and the whole world is knows which country is funding them. But they are blind against money of india

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raja farhat Abbas

May 15, 2017 04:41pm

@A ...Thank you for your kind reply,i am in total agreement with you.

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my Comments

May 15, 2017 06:05pm

Amazing, all kinds of plans for past 20 years, yet chaos and killing continues in Afghanistan. Who is responsible for that?

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jamshed

May 15, 2017 07:38pm

@Feroz US has not shown the world or to its people any positive effects of her policies in Afghanistan had the positive effects on Pakistan where as countless negative effects in Afghanistan are there for the world to see in both countries. Great practical policy in your opinion, isn't it? If anything US Congress has acknowledged massive corruption by US contractors, its Afghan cohorts and an army that cannot fight by itself with Taliban, has highest desertion that one day will turn into several militias first fight each other and then becoming headache for Pakistan to deal with.
US policy has also created few hundred millionaires,violence has increased and drug trade is on the rise and there are 1.3 million Afghan refugees still living in Pakistan. Great going !!
If HR McMaster has friends like you in the Pentagon he does not needs an enemy? But we know you are not Pakistan's friend !!

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Raja Farhat Abbas

May 15, 2017 08:00pm

@ALIEN1 ..The only Terror Factories are in your small mind!!.

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Kumar

May 16, 2017 02:19pm

Why doesn't Pakistan get rid of all the terrorist groups? It has not worked out.

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Abbas Naqvi

May 16, 2017 04:02pm

US post 9/11 policies have failed to contain terrorism and bring peace and stability to Afghanistan. Similarly its invasion of Iraq has plunged the Middle East into further turmoil and insecurity resulting in the spread of terrorism and destabilization of the region. US must understand the realities of the region before framing new Afghan and Pakistan policy.

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Sultan

May 16, 2017 05:33pm

@HIND
You again have stomach cramps. You and your countrymen have to take off Pakistan from your mind to live a healthy life. What you people are doing is not good for your national health. Pakistan has lived seventy years despite all the bad feelings that you have towards it, and it will live several thousand years to come, so why don't you change your perspectives about it and live like good neighbors.

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Mubashir

May 16, 2017 06:07pm

@Feroz agree. By combining Pakistan and Afghanistan into one policy package, the US has officially recognized that former being a part of the overall problem- and not the solution. Deployment of additional troops is going to be a game changer in the region, and a step towards a final solution once and for all.

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bokhari

May 16, 2017 08:00pm

war game is on and Pakistan have to use boarder protection system sow the country can stay safe from attacks

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bokhari

May 16, 2017 08:02pm

@jamshed agree

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Muhammad gazanvi

May 17, 2017 03:29am

This is humiliating to see next time US adm is going to pressurize Pakistan and India will be having more free ride in Afghanistan.

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logicaldue

May 17, 2017 03:45pm

Law & order situation in Pakistan zero progress, elimination of terrorism in Pakistan not much better, corruption in every facet of private and public life bigger and better, so countries around the world increasing their distance from Pakistan hardly a surprise. Pakistanis have been fooled for the last 45 years but rest of the world knows better.